26

MIXING MECHANICAL APPARATUS—A WALDS TO EXHIBITORS. [Class I.

charcoal costs 80, 100, and even 120 francs (64s. to 96s.)per ton, and coal from 30 to 60 francs (24s. to 48s.) theadvantage gained by the condition of the ore is verysoon swallowed up, and the whole efforts of the iron-masters must be directed towards economising fuel.Great improvements have already been made in thisrespect in the working of iron, and, no doubt, the inces-sant efforts of the manufacturer will produce others; butwe are quite safe in asserting, from the knowledge wepossess of this kind of operations, that France can neversucceed in producing iron by these mixed methods at thesame price as it is made at in those places where themanufacture is carried on by coke exclusively, and espe-cially at the very spots where the coal is worked.

An exhibition in London of the various modificationsat present introduced into the manufacture of iron wouldhave been very interesting for the study of metallurgy,and it is greatly to be regretted that so few of theFrench iron-masters have responded to the appeal madefrom England on this occasion. We are satisfied fromthe good feeling that has been shown to all French exhibitors, and the friendly relations that have constantlyprevailed amongst all the members of the Jury, that theirefforts would have been duly appreciated, and that all theimprovements which they have introduced withiu the lasttwenty years would have received honourable rewards.

The almost entire absence of iron from the French por-tion of the Great Exhibition , and the small number ofobjects relative to the working of coal that have beensent, have prevented this branch of industry in France from appearing as important as it really is. The se-condary departments of mineral industry have betterappreciated the advantages offered by the great idea ofa Universal Exhibition, and have sent objects worthyof interest, so that France has still an honourable posi-tion amongst the rewards granted by the Jury of thisClass. It remains now to make known these rewards ;but the task is difficult and unsatisfactory, for the greatdiversity of the objects only allows a very imperfectarrangement in describing them: we shall, however,endeavour to bring those exhibitors together whose ob-jects have the nearest analogy one with another.

We must first recall attention to the two exhibitors towhom the Council Medal has been decreed. These are

Mr. Be?raru (51, p. 1173), for his coal-washing appa-ratus.

Messrs. EsTivanT, Brothers (1214, p. 1235), for thesize and quality of the objects exhibited by them inrolled and hammered brass.*

Mr. J. M. F. Mehc, mining engineer, of Anzin (627,p. 1208). Apparatus for the extraction of coal, and forthe descent and ascent of mines.

It is now some years since a contrivance was intro-duced into the mining districts of Germany , England,and Belgium , the object of which was to prevent thegreat fatigue and frequent accidents experienced byminers on account of their having to descend and ascendthe shafts of deep mines by means of vertical laddersor by the tubs and tackle used in lifting the produce.This apparatus consists of two wooden beams placed intiie same shaft opposite to and balancing each other, andmoving up and down by an alternate vertical motioncommunicated by machinery. On each of these beamssmall sets of horizontal planks or steps are placed, thedistance between each being twice the length of one lift.The miner then standing at the bottom on the ascendingbeam, in order to corne to the pit-mouth, steps to theopposite plank as soon as by the motion of the frame heis brought to its level, taking advantage of the shortinterval that elapses while the levels of the two steps arethe same. He is then lifted again by the rise of thispart of the frame, that on which he first stood descend-ing, and again steps off when the lift is concluded. Hethus rises step by step till be reaches the top. One ofthe best of these machines has been erected by M. AbelWaroque in a shaft of a coal mine at Marimont, betweenMons and Cbarleroy.

This apparatus was a great improvement in working

mines; but it is exposed to a serious inconvenience, as itis impossible to lift ore or coal from the shaft in whichit is fixed.

Mr. Mehu has constructed a similar machine, whichserves at the same time to lift the ore or coal, and con-vey the miners to the bottom or top of the pit. It hasbeen in operation for three years in the ‘Davy’ pit atthe Anzin mines, and this long experience has proved itsadvantage. This engineer has in his apparatus substi-tuted for each of the wooden rods a pair of connectedrods, provided with spring catches on which the waggonsrest while being raised or lowered. One of these pairsof rods serves to raise the loaded waggons, and the otherpair to lower the empty ones; on both lines the waggonsare raised or lowered by successive lifts, separated byshort intervals of rest, during which they remain restingon other catches, fixed in the sides of the shaft, andarranged in stages at distances a little less than thelength of one stroke of the vertical rods.

For lowering or raising the miners, the men step onmoveable planks, in the place of the waggons, and thedescent or ascent is conducted in the same manner. Thedepth of the Davy pit, where this machine by M. M<5huis in operation, is 200 feet, the beams traversing 50 feetat each lift.

The July*, considering that Mr. Mehu’s apparatus islikely to be of important service in the working of mines,have awarded to him a Prize Medal.

Messrs. Gallichkr and Company, proprietors of thefoundries of Bigny, department of the Cher (229, p. 1187).The exhibition from these foundries consists of variouskinds of merchantable iron. Both iron and wire havebeen found to be of excellent quality, and a Prize Medalhas been awarded to the exhibitors for the excellence oftheir products.

Mr. A. T. Baudry, proprietor of the steel works ofAtliis Mons, department of the Seine and Oise (1071,p. 1229). The steel-works of Athis Mons , whose origindates as far back as 1823, consist of two cementing fur-naces, and all the furnaces and apparatus required for thereheating, rolling, and forging steel. Its annual produc-tion is above 200 tons, and the principal manufacture con-sists of steel for springs, although M. Baudry has begun tomake steel for cutlery. The different kinds of steel aremade exclusively from Swedish iron, and the kinds em-ployed are the best of the third quality for springs andiron, and of first and second quality for cutlery. The steelmade by this exhibitor is of uniform and homogeneousgrain, and the quality has been considered to merit forthis establishment the Prize Medal.

Honourable Mention has been granted to the follow-ing:—

M. C. Lapeyrikre, proprietor of the works at Bruni-quel, department of Tarn and Garonne (1710), who hasexhibited iron of various kinds, admitted to be of goodquality.

Morel Brothers,* of Charleville (1666, p. 1256), whohave exhibited a collection of cast-iron vessels, many ofthem coated inside with enamel.

Dietrich and Son,* of Niederbvonn (188, p. 1183\The objects sent by these exhibitors consist principallyof moulded east-iron, not coming within the cognizance ofthis Jury; therefore, while recognizing the excellence oftheir products, the Jury do not feel justified in award-ing more than an Honourable Mention to Messrs. Dietrich.They desire to direct attention to several objects remark-ing, in the first place, an iron figure of Our Saviour onthe cross, five feet high, and on a round plinth which fullyattests the care taken in casting in this establishment.

In the second place, they notice a collection of clichesfor lithography, which introduce a new application ofiron-casting to the art of engraving on stone with ma-chinery. Very fine impressions are thus obtained; andin this particular matter the justly-celebrated Berlin ironware is equalled by Messrs. Dietrich.

By means of the engraving-machine there may be

* These Exhibitors have been awarded a Prize Medal bythe Jury of Class XXII., in whose list their names appear.— I. W.

* See the detailed account, ante p. 5.